Interchange-speed-gear mechanism for automobiles.



E. R. EVANS. INTEROHANGE SPEED GEAR MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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APPLICATION TILED NOV. 6, 1913. 1 1 1 7,0 1 3.

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I VITNESSES E. R. EVANS. E SPEED GEAR MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION rum: nov. 5, 191a.

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Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

5 BEEETSSHEET 3. 523

- E. R. EVANS.

INTERGHANGE SPEED GEAR MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIGAT' INVENTOH. E. RE /vs gv-kfldzmm E. R. EVANS INTERCHANGE SPEED GEAR MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1913.

1,1 17,01 3. Patented N0v.10, 1914.

lllllll IHvIM fllllllllllll mm UNITED STATES EDWIN BAWDEN EVANS OF- ORILLIA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

INTEBCHANGE-SBEED-GEAB MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

1 117,013. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 5, 1913. Serial No. 799,878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN RAWDEN Evans, of the town of Orillia, in the county of Simcoe, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interchange-Speed-Gear- Mechanisms for Automobiles, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in interchange speed gear mechanisms for automobiles and the like and the object of the invention is to devise an interchange speed ear mechanism which may be 0 erated rom the engine shaft and which mec anism ma be thrown into operative connection wit the engine shaft with a minimum amount of manual labor and it consists essentially of the following arrangement and construction of parts.

Figure 1, is a general perspective view of my device with the casing thereof partially broken away and in section. Fig. 2, is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1 with the casing in section. Fig. 3, is a p an section on line :r-y Fi 2. Fig. 4, 1s a longitudinal section on fine a:'g Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are diminutive views showing the connection ofthe parts shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 with the operating levers thereof, the end plate being removed. Fig. 7, is a front sectional elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8, is'a perspective detail of a portion of the operating mechanism looking from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9, is a perspective detail of the supplemental clutch'operating finger. Fig. 10, is a vertical section of a portion of the supplemental clutch operatmg mechanism. Fig. 11, is a side elevation of the operating cans. Fig. 12, is'a detail of the locking arm. Fig. 13, is a sectional detail of one of the interchange clutch operating engaging fingers. Fig. 14 is an elevation partly in section showin my mechanism apphed to the ordinary riving mechanism 0 an automobile. Fig. 15, is 9. Ian view of the parts shown in Fig. 14. ig. 16 is a sectional view through Fig. 18 on line :vy'.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A is the main casing provided with main bearings A and A and the supplemental bearings A and A and the hearing standard A. I

B is the main shaft mounted in B. The cam C is provided with a peri heral cam surface C, the radius of which as a quick increase at C and a gradual dc;- crease from about the int C to the int C. The cam. C is aiisb provided with a face groove C having a major concentric portion C and a minor concentric portion C and connecting portions C and C The cam C is provided with a similar face groove C set in a different position to the face groove C as indicated by dotted lines in- Fig. 11. The outer periphery of the cam C is plane periphery concentric at all points with the center of the shaft B.

D is a miter gear loosely mounted on the shaft B. The casing A is also. provided with a hearing A through which the shaft E, driven from the cam shaft :0 extends. The shaft E may be driven either directly from the engine shaft or from the camshaft. The inner end of the shaft E is provided with a miter gear E meshin with the gear D. It will be understood t at the gearD is,-therefore, continuously driven from the e 'ne shaft.

is the hub of the 'a feather key D.

F is a clutch sleeve slidably mounted upon the hub D and slidably connected thereto by the key D. The clutch sleeve F ispro.- vided with an annular groove F G is the clutch operating arm ivoted at G to the lug A extendin from t e wall of the casing A. The clutc arm G is connected by a suitable tension spring (5: to a suitable portion of the casing.

G is a voke forming part of theclutch arm G.' The yoke G: extends around the clutch sleeve F and is provided with diametrically opposed rojections formed by the screws G which extend into the clutch sleeve groove F'. The clutch sleeve is provided with an annular tooth engaging end F.

C is an annular tooth e ng surface 0 posing the tooth portion 0 the clutch sfeeve F. To the free. end of the clutch arm G is secured a clutch enga 'ng member F carrying a triangular horizontal tooth F and an L-shaped engaging finger 1 (see Figs. 3 and 9) for a purpose which Wlll hereinafter appear. H is an annular ring provided with an inner reduced ortion H forming an annu- A' and A.

8. r've' e rin H. is suitab v secured totfieinnerfaceoftecamq L gear D provided with- Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

C and C are cams mounted on the shaft H and H are two openings formed in the wall of the groove H, such openings having a flared inner portion H as shown particularly in Fig. 8.

H" and H are throw-out projections secured to and forming part of the cam C and located opposite the openings H.

I is the engine clutch arm. The arm I is swung upon the supplemental shaft J journaled in the bearings A and A of the casing and the supplemental bearing'A. The lower end of the arm I is suitably connected to the engine or main clutch X. The upper end of the arm is provided with a follower roller I bearing against the periphery of the cam C. i

I is an arm secured to the supplemental shaft J. The arm I is connected to the reverse and intermediate gear shifts of the main gear mechanism.

I is a sleeve connected to the supplemental shaft J and provided with an upwardly extending inclined arm I and a downwardly extending arm I The arm I is provided at its upper end with a vertically channeled portion I opposing the cam C. The arm I is provided with a vertically channeled portion I opposing the cam C.

I is a sleeve mounted loosely upon the shaft J and provided with an upwardly extending arm I havin a vertically channeled portion 1" opposing the cam C and a downwardly inclined arm I having everticallv channeled portion I opposing the cam C.

It will be understood that the vertically channeled portions I and I" are located in the same vertical plane and the channeled portions I and I are located in the same 7 vertical plane.

K is a sleeve loosely mounted upon the 'shaft J. The sleeve K is provided with a downwardly inclined arm K having a follower K engaging the cam groove C, of the cam C.

Kis an arm extending upwardly from the sleeve K and provided with front and back longitudinal slots K and K and a central recess K (see Fig. 13).

K is a movable piece slidably held within the recess K provided with a projection K extending through the slot'K' and headed screw pin K extending through the slot K. Normally the projection K is located in circumferential alinement with the space intervening between the portions I and I".

L is a sleeve also mounted upon the shaft J and provided with an upwardly extending arm L having a follower L extending into the cam groove C of the cam C. The sleeve L is also provided with a depending arm L similar in construction to the arm K.

M is a vertical slide way supported on the bottom of the casing A and carrying slides M, M and M.

N is an H-plate (see Fig. 6) of ordinary construction carried in the usual way by the steering column.

N is a rocking rod carried by the bearin N.

3 is an operating lever swung upon the rocking rod N and located in the neutral position between the ends 2 and 3 of the divided cross bar N.

N and N are supplemental levers swung upon the rockin bar N and having recessed opposing aces. Each of the supplemental levers N and N are provided with forwardly extending arms N and N".

O is the main operating rocking rod supported in bearings O and 0 (see Fig. 5) carried by the top of the casing A.

O is an arm extending from the rocking shaft 0.

O is a link connecting the arm 0 with the arm N.

O is a sleeve secured to the rocking shaft 0 and providedwith forwardly extending arms 0 and O".

O is a link pivotally connected to the outer end of the armO and provided with an enlarged slotted lower end 0, through which the screw pin K" extends in its normal position centrally of the slot. The lower end of the arm L is similarly slotted and recessed to the upper end of the arm K and provided with a projection L (see Fig. 2) similar to the projection K carried by the arm K.

P is a sleeve rotatably mounted *on the rocking shaft 0 and provided with out wardly extending arm P connected by a. link P to the arm N of the lever N. The opposite end of the sleeve P is provided with an enlargement P from which extends an arm P.

P is a link pivotally connected at one end to the arm P and provided atthe opposite end with an enlarged slotted I ortion similar to the slotted end 0" of the link 0, such slotted end being connected to the projection L similarly to the connection bev tween the slotted end 0 and the pin K".

The slides M and M are provided with rojections 4-and 5. These projections are -shaped in form and have an intervening V-space into which the projection F fits when the parts are in their neutral position.

The slide M is provided with a single en-- T I largement 6 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Q and Q are links. The link bar Q is connected at one end to the arm 0 and at the opposite end to the slide M. The link bar Q is connected at one end to the arm P intermediately of its length and at the I opposite end to the slide bar M.

Q is a sleeve loosely mounted upon the shaft 0 provided with outwardly extending arms Q and Q.

R is a supplemental lever swung upon the shaft N and provided with an outwardly extending arm R connected by the link Q, to the arm Q.

Q is a link connecting the arm Q with the slide M.

It will be understood that the levers N, N 5 and N are spring levers whereby the lever N may be sprung into engagement with either the lever N or N and the lever N or N thereby sprung free of the opening between the portions 2 and 3 of the cross bar N.

In order to prevent too free a movement of the slide K' I form recesses 7, 8 and 9 therein corresponding to the three positions thereof that is the central or 'neutral position and the upper and lower positions which it assumes.

10 is a hollow boss extending from the arm K provided with an internally threaded outer end into which is screwed a plu 11.

12 1s a compression spring and 13 the all which fits into one of the recesses 7 8 and 9 and is held therein by the compression spring 12.

S is the end plateof the H-plate N.

In Figs. 14 and 15 I show my device as applied to the drivin mechanism of an automobile. In these res X is an engine, X the engine shaft, the main clutch and X the transmission gear box provided with the usual high speed gears Z and Z, intermediate gears Z and Z, low speed gears Z and Z and reverse gears Z, Z and Z. The arms I and I are connected by links Z and Z respectively to the forks operatmg the interchange speed gears of the transmlssion mechanism. The arm I is connected by a link Z to the operating mechanism Z" of the main clutch.

Having described the principal parts involved in my invention I will briefly describe the operation of the same.

When the mechanism is in the normal position, that is, to say, when the automobile is in the shed for instance, the engine clutch 1s in engagement. The first operation necessary 18 to throw the en lever R upwardly into the position shown in Flg. 7 depressing the opposite end R and the arm Q through the link Q. This operation raises the arm Q pulling upon the link Q connected to the slide M. As before stated the slide M is provided with one pro ection 6 as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. On the upward movement of the slide M the projection 6 engages with the tooththereof into engagement with the teeth C ne clutch out of engagement. In order to 0 this I throw the and simultaneousl carryi the rojeetion F into the groovb H. as p As before stated the gear D connected to the clutch sleeve F is driven continuously from the cam or engine shaft throu h the gear E. It will, therefore, be seen t at as soon as the clutch teeth F and C are thrown into en agement that the cam C revolves. Imme 'atelv the cam C begins to revolve the follower I mounts up upon the peripheral cam portion C thereby throwmg the engine clutch lever I in the required direction pull on the link Z to throw out the engine clutch. It will also be seen as soon as the cam begins to revolve that the projection F is carried into the groove holding the clutch teeth F and C in posi' tive engagement until the rojection F strikes the throw-out projection H which carries the projection F into the opening H allowing the clutch lever G to swing back into'its normal position carrying the tooth F between the projections 4 and 5 of each of the slides M" and M. Simultaneously the follower rollers L and K are carried into that ortion of the cam groove C which is the s ortest point in the cam radius. This operation swings the arms L and K so as to carry the projection K into vertical alinement with the vertically channeled portions I and 1 located opposlte the arms K and the projection L into the vertically channeled portions I and I" 10- osition in change gear mechanism into the intermediate position. In order to do this the lever N is pressed so as to be sprung in the dire:- tion ofarrow into cut with thi.- channeled lever N which is also sprung mto the same direction from between the opening intervening between the bar portions 2 and 3. The lever N is then thrown up-- wardly into the inverted U-shaped recess formed at -15. This operation throws the arm N downwardly and the arm 0' conto the arm N by the link 0 also downwardly thereby rocking the main ope'rating racking rod 0. As before described the sleeve 0 and arms 0 and O are all connected to the rocking rod 0 and, therefore, by this operation the arms 0 and O are thrown upwardly. During the initial upward movement of the arms 0 and O the slotted end of the link 0 merely slides past the screw K being inoperative during this initial movement. During this movement of the link 0 the link 1.), carries the projection 5 of the slide bar M into engagement with the tooth F again throwing the clutch arm forwardly toward the cam C so as to carry the clutch teeth F and C againinto engagement and the projection F s free of the opening I-[ into the groove H to the opposite side of the projection H to that which it assumed during the previous operation. By this operation the cams C and C are again driven rotating in the di-' rection of arrow (see Fig. 11). Immediately this movement has been accomplished the slotted end 0 of the link 0 engages the screw K carrying the screw upwardly and the projection K into engagement with the U-shaped channel I of the arm I thereby rocking the shaft J to which the arm I is connected thereby operating the arm I connected by the link Z and coacting mechanism to the fork Z to carry the intermediate gear Z and Z into engagement. Simultaneously the projection l5 travels around the groove H until it strikes the projection H which carries it into the opening opposite the projection H" throwing out the cam clutch. To complete the operation the follower roller 1 of the main clutch lever I required the levers N on the peripheral cam to the point C thereby the engine clutch into gradually descends from the point C gradually throwing engagement.

If it is desired to throw the engine from the intermediate position to the high or low position or the reverse position, such position being indicated by the numerals 16, 17 and 18 in Figs. 6 and 7 the engine clutch is again thrown out automatically when bringing N to neutral the lever arm N being carried downwardly to the central or neutral position when it may be either carried directly to the reverse position or the lever N sprung into engagement with the lever N. It may then be carried either into the position 16 or the position 17 to engage either the high or low gear operating levers. If it is carried into the high osition 16 such operation moves the pro ection L into engagement with the channel I of the lever I thereby moving the lever I in the reverse direction to that above described carrying the high gear into mesh by drawing on the link Z and fork Z" to carry the gear Z into internal engagement with the gear Z. If it is carried into the position 17 'or the low position the projection L is carried into engagement with the channel I thereby operating the arm I to draw on the link Z and fork Z carrying the gears Z and Z into engagement. If the reverse position is and N are carried into the position 18 carrying the projection i into engagement with the channeled portion I of the lever I thereby carrying the arm I in the opposite direction and pushing the fork Z to carry the gear Z into engagement with the gear Z.

In order to prevent the lever N being operated except when the projections K and L are in neutral relation with the channeled portions 1 and I and I and I I provide the stationary arm T having a vertically slotted portion T having three horizontal branches T '1 and T Each screw head K is provided with a projection T extending into the slot T. When the parts are in their neutral position the projection T can slide upwardly or downwardly in the vertical portion T but if when the projection is in the upper, lower or intermediate position then the arms K and L are out of their neutral position such projection will extend into one of the branches T, T and T* of the slot T as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 12.

Although I show my device as operated from the main shaft of the engine it will, of course, be understood that it could be operated from any other suitably driven shaft as may be found convenient.

What I claim as my invention is.

1. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft, and plurality of change gear operating levels, of means adapted to be thrown in and out of connection with the engine shaft for operating any one of the aforesaid levers, as and for the purpose specified.

. '2. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft and plurality of change gear operating levers, of means adapted to be thrown in and out of connection with the engine shaft for operating any of the aforesaid levers, and an independently operated lever selecting device whereby the lever desired is placed in operative connection with the engine shaft, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft and plurality of change gear operating levers, of means adapted to be thrown in and out of connection with the engine shaft for operating any of the aforesaid levers, and means for initially throwing the engine clutch out of connection, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft, and plurality of change gear operating levers, of means adapted to be thrown in and out of connection with the engine shaft for operating any of the aforesaid levers, an independently operated lever selecting device whereby the lever desired is placed in operative connection with the engine shaft,

and means for initially throwing the engine clutch out of engagement, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft, and a plurality of change gear operating levers, of means adapted to be thrown in and out of connection with the engine shaft for o crating any of the aforesaid levers, an in ependently operated lever selecting device whereby the lever desired'is placed in operative connection with the engine shaft, andmeans for initially throwing the engine clutch out of connection, and automatic means for again throwing the engine clutch into gradua engagement, as and for the purpose specific 6. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft having a suitable driving gear secured thereto, of a cam shaft, cams mounted thereon, a gear loosely mounted on the cam shaft and meshing with the engine shaft gear, a clutch connection between the loose gear and cam, a suitably mounted supporting shaft, gear change levers mounted thereon, a cam operated lever also mounted on the su porting shaft, and means operated from the drivers seat for first throwing the cam clutch into connection and for then throwing the engaging means between one of the cam operated levers and one of the gear change levers into connection, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft having a suitable driving gear secured thereto, of a cam shaft, cams mounted thereon, a gear loosely mounted on the cam shaft and meshing with the engine shaft gear, a clutch connection between the loose gear and cam, a pivoted clutch arm having a projecting engagin portion at its free end, a vertically mova le slide having a co-acting engaging projection, means for movin the slide vertically operated from the drivers seat whereby the projection of the slide and the projections of the lever arm are brought into connection to move the clutch lever and clutch inwardly into connection, a plurality of suitably mounted change gear 0 crating levers, swingable means operated mm the aforesaid cam, and independently operated means .for throwin the swingable means into connection with any one of the re- ?uired change gear operating levers, as and or the purpose s eclfied.

8. In an interc ange speed gear mechanism, the combination with the engine shaft and plurality of change gear operating levers, and a suitable supportin shaft for the change gear levers, a swinga le cam operated lever mounted on the change gear lever supporting shaft, a movable engagin member carriedby the swingable lever an a hand lever, and means operated by the hand lever for throwing the cam operating means into connection with the engine shaft and the movable member into connection with one of the change gear operating levers, as and for the purpose specified.

9. In an interchange s eed gear mechanism, the combination wit the engine shaft, and a plurality of change gear operating levers, of means operated by the engine shaft adapted to be thrown in and out of connection therewith for operating any of the aforesaid levers, an in ependently operated lever selecting device whereby the lever desired is placed in operative connection with the engine shaft, automatic means for initially throwing the engine clutch out of connection, automatic means for again throwing the engine clutch into gradual connection and automatic means for finally throwing the lever operating mechanism out of connection with the engine shaft, as and for the purpose specified.

10. In an interchange speer gear mechanism, a pair of revolving cams driven from the engine shaft, a co-acting bell crank engaging each cam. a lever swung intermediately of its length and provided with end forks, a movable projection carried by each bell crank, and manually operated means for throwing the same in and out of connection with the fork, as and for the purpose specified.

11. In an interchange speed gear mechanism, a pair of revolving cams driven from the engine shaft, a co-acting bell crank engaging each cam, a rocking shaft, a lever swung thereon intermediate y of its length and having forked ends, and a lever secured thereon intermediately of its length also having forked ends, the ends of the upwardly extending portions being in proximity to one bell crank lever and the ends of the downwardly extending portions being in proximity to the other bell crank lever, a movable engaging projection carried by each bell crank and means for moving the pro'ection of one bell crank into connection wit either of the forked ends of upwardly extending lever portions and means for moving the projection of the other bell crank lever into connection with either of the forked ends of the downwardly extending lever arms, as and for the purpose specified.

EDWIN RAWDEN EVANS. 

